Love, Blood and Wilderness | YELLOWJACKETS

Chapter 27

It had been nearly an hour of trying to drag Lottie back to the cabin.

"C'mon, Lot, help me out a little bit," I muttered as I struggled to hold up Lottie.

She was mostly unconscious and I had to hold her entire body weight up while trying to transport her back to shelter.

But I was 5'5ft and the brunette was a good six feet. I mentally cursed Lottie Matthews for her height.

No, that wasn't right. I cursed her parents for their ginormous genetics.

My feet were heavy in the snow and holding up Lottie's body weight was not making my journey back to the cabin any easier. I wrapped my arms around her weight and tugged with might, without trying to hurt her.

I finally noticed the blood that was dripping from her clothing, staining the fabric crimson and leaving a trail of scarlet in the snow.

"Fuck. C'mon, we're almost there," I whispered. Though I wasn't sure if I was trying to convince her or myself.

I took a few more steps before I fell to my knees, desperately trying to hold Lottie up from tumbling in the snow again.

"Lottie, please, help me here," I begged, but she was out cold.

I tried to lift myself back up but my legs felt so weak. My body was getting exhausted from the cold and from stress. I could feel my nose running and my lips chafing from the wind. I lay there for what felt like forever. I had no energy, I had no drive. I finally mustered enough vitality to shout:

"FUCK!" I screamed to the dismal winter sky. I needed to get out of here, I needed for Lottie to be safe, I needed to make sure that Shauna was okay.

"HELP!" I shouted hopelessly, "HELP!"

I felt a hand on my shoulder and hook under my unoccupied arm. I felt two more hands push my torso up.

"Get up," I heard Laura Lee whisper, "help her."

"Wh-what?" I got to my feet, Lottie at my side.

"Come on, Taylor, the girls need you. Shauna needs you," Jackie's voice echoed in my ears.

"AGH!" I yelled, pushing through the aching that my body felt from the gelid winds and numbing temperatures. I gripped Lottie's waist and dragged her at my side.

"C'mon Lottie, come on. We can do it right? We can do anything," I shuttered as I heaved her next to me, "Remember when y-you lost your lucky s-socks before one of our g-games and we thought we were g-gonna l-lose. But w-we didn't! We d-didn't right?"

She wouldn't wake up.

"Or when w-we pulled an a-all nighter to s-study for b-bio and we b-both got an A m-minus? Come on Lot, we c-can do it."

Up ahead, through my hazy vision, I spotted the cabin.

"Lot! Look!" I exclaimed, pulling her with me towards it, craving warmth.

"HELP! HELP!" I started shouting again, hoping to get the attention of the others, "HELP! HELP US!"

Misty stuck her head through the door, a broad grin forming on her face.

"It's Taylor and Lottie! It's Taylor and Lottie!"

She ran out the door, followed by Tai, Van, Mari, Akilah and Shauna.

The girls rushed to mine and Lottie's aid, Mari, Akilah, Misty and Van helping Lottie into the cabin to get her warm.

"Get the bath going! Someone get Nat out of the bath, quick!" They demanded.